Centennial Olympic Park cancels fireworks for Fourth of July

A man holds a child while they watch fireworks at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta on Thursday, July 4, 2019. The fireworks show, part of the annual Fourth of July celebration, was sponsored by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority and Coca-Cola. Christina Matacotta/Christina.Matacotta@ajc.com

Credit: Christina R. Matacotta

Credit: Christina R. Matacotta

A man holds a child while they watch fireworks at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta on Thursday, July 4, 2019. The fireworks show, part of the annual Fourth of July celebration, was sponsored by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority and Coca-Cola. Christina Matacotta/Christina.Matacotta@ajc.com

Centennial Olympic Park canceled its annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration this year to avoid the spread of coronavirus, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority announced Thursday in a news release.

“The financial impact of COVID-19 resulted in the tough decision to cancel this year’s event,” GWCCA’s executive director Frank Poe said in a statement. “Watching fireworks in Centennial Olympic Park is an Atlanta tradition and we look forward to continuing in 2021.”

The annual celebration has been held at Centennial for the past 22 years and is known as the biggest fireworks show in the Southeast.

The nixed celebration is the latest in a line of Fourth of July fireworks cancellations, including the popular fireworks show at Stone Mountain Park and the park’s weeklong Stone Mountain Park Lasershow Spectacular.

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